Many of our children will be currently enjoying sports activities during the summer holidays, made extra special by our Yorkshire athletes’ medal success over in Tokyo!
I just love how sports can be such a powerful way of inspiring our children and young people, sharing with them important values and life skills. For us as parents, supporting our children in sport can mean lots of different things like washing kits, being their personal cheerleader or even taxi driver.
It should also mean making sure their sport is a safe place for them to enjoy. That responsibility starts as early as choosing which sports club is right for your child, a decision which should be similar to choosing a nursery place or school.
It is important to think about whether you and your child feel comfortable there. Any good club or activity should have certain things in place to make sure they’re taking care of children during sessions, practices and any away trips and competitions.
The NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) has lots of advice for parents - there is even a handy checklist on its web page that you should feel confident in asking a club about.
Remember, you have a right to know and any good club will be happy to let you know what they have in place to help safeguard your child.
For example, every club should let you see their policies and procedures on how they deal with any concerns raised about poor practice or abuse.
They should be able to give you the name of a welfare or child protection officer in case you have any concerns and show you written standards for good practice, such as a code of conduct for staff and volunteers.
Should your child come to you with concerns about something that’s happened to them or something they’ve witnessed, it’s important for you to listen and speak out. If you are ever unsure please remember the NSPCC helpline is here to offer advice and support, please call 0808 800 5000.
Sometimes spotting abuse or poor practice might not be as simple as your child telling you about something that’s bothering them and that’s why it’s vital that all parents are aware of and can spot the signs of abuse, such as unexplained changes in behaviour, a change in the way they talk about their sport or a member of staff, or anxiety about taking part in a sport they once enjoyed.
You may have noticed frequent communication, either online or in person, with a coach or other member of staff outside of the sports setting that isn’t about practices or competition planning, even unexplained gifts or favours from coaches or other staff members.
Sometimes spotting poor practice or abuse in sport can be tricky, especially where there are some common misconceptions that certain practices are part and parcel of that sport’s ethos and might be the key to success.
The CPSU website has lots of information as to what can constitute poor practice and abuse in a sports context, with examples of how these types of abuse might occur.
If you have any concerns or are unsure what to ask, please do reach out to the NSPCC helpline.
Sport, as we all know, is so important for our children for their physical and emotional wellbeing. It helps them connect with their peers and sport can inspire and bring people together.
So, it is so important that we all play our part in making sure our child’s sporting journey is as safe as possible.
For more information please visit ‘information for parents and carers’ Child Protection in Sport Unit (thecpsu.org.uk)
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